Recovery
by Miss Sofie
Summary: Adaniel travels with the Fellowship, and she's to marry Boromir. However, she's injured by an orc and thereby forced to stay behind, as the Fellowship reaches Lothlorien. Here she will be taken care of by a certain march warden...
1. Lothlorien

A/N: This is a repost, as I had so many complaints because of the name I gave the heroine. You may still not like it, but I'm not gonna change it again. The story is based on both the books and the movies, and I may not remember correctly from either ones. Please don't flame me for that. I've noticed that LotR readers have a tendency to flame more than others, but it's pretty hard to write a story with all of Tolkien's "facts" correctly remembered. So please be nice!

Thanks for reading and do let me know what you think by reviewing at the bottom!

Miss Sofie

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**Chapter I – Lothlorien**

Adaniel struggled on over the dry and stony surface, though her feet already hurt from running. Her back ached from sleeping on the cold stone floor of the mines of Moria, and her head ached from crying. She noticed none of this as she ran. She ran the best she could to get away from the orc behind her, though her strength waned.

Please, let me live just a few more minutes! She prayed without looking back. Though she wanted to know how close the orc was, she also knew that looking back would only slow her down.

The pain struck her like a knife. It pierced her left foot and grew stronger as it moved upwards. She was dragged by the foot, backwards to the orc, at which she now dared look. He was dark and ugly and his eyes seemed to pierce right through Adaniel just before he struck.

A whizzing sound was heard and the orc stood still with eyes wide from terror and surprise. Then another sound was heard – the one of a sword cleaving meat – and the orc fell to the ground, landing on top of Adaniel.

For a few seconds everything was silent. Then Adaniel screamed. She screamed because of the pain in her foot and her leg, and she screamed because of the shock. But the goblin was dead and the hands and arms that lifted Adaniel now were strong and gentle. They were the arms of Boromir, one of the two Men of the Fellowship.

"Is she badly hurt?" It was Legolas – the Elven member of the Fellowship.

"I'm afraid she is." Boromir replied with sorrow in his voice carrying Adaniel down the hill. "Her leg doesn't look too good and she's unconscious."

"I'm not…unconscious." Adaniel said and opened her eyes a bit. She closed them again at once. "It just hurts so much that I need to close my eyes for a while."

"Don't speak!" Boromir said softly and walked on carrying the woman, for whom he cared more than he did for anyone else in Middle-Earth.

Adaniel did as Boromoir told her to, and soon she drifted off to dreams of the past.

---

"Gandaaalf!" Adaniel heard Frodo's voice again. She knew she would remember the shrillness of it for as long as she lived and the picture of Gandalf falling into the deep of the mountain would never fade either. It was the last they had seen of the wizard, and Frodo had been the last one to call out for him.

They had run on, driven on by Aragorn, who had been able to keep his head in spite of the great loss that Adaniel knew Gandalf's death would be to him. Aragorn had known Gandalf better than anyone, but maybe that was why he knew what Gandalf would've wanted them to do. He would've wanted them to go on, to flee from the orcs, and so they had done. They just hadn't counted on that one, headstrong orc who had followed them from the Mines of Moria and until one of them had separated from the others. Adaniel had been the first to do so. She had left to relieve nature, but before she had gone far, the orc had ambushed her.

---

Lying in the arms of Boromir, not fully conscious, she felt very grateful for him and Legolas. They had saved her life, as they would save more lives later on. She hadn't saved anyone yet, and with a wounded leg she probably wouldn't now. The only thing she could do was delay the others, and that she didn't want.

"Down." She mumbled still not conscious.

"Did you say something?" Boromir asked concernedly.

"Put me down!" Adaniel mumbled with her eyes closed.

Boromir put her down while Legolas put his coat underneath her head as a pillow.

"Is there anything you need?" The latter asked. "Water?"

"Just leave me." Adaniel said and opened her eyes a bit. "You'll be better off without me. I'm slowing you down!"

"Don't speak such foolishness!" Boromir said and caressed her cheek with his hand. "I won't leave you behind!"

"But you _have_ to go on in a hurry. You don't need me!"

"_I_ need you." Boromir said, and if Adaniel's eyes had been open she would've noticed the hurt in the eyes of the man that was to be her husband.

"But you have to get the ring to Mordor! A wounded girl is not what you need for that."

Boromir sighed and shook his head with a look at Legolas. The latter stayed silent.

"We won't be leaving you!" Aragorn's firm voice suddenly said from somewhere above Adaniel. He had just caught up with the rest of the Fellowship after reconnoitering the area.

"Please, Aragorn!" The girl pleaded, but the man could not be worked on. One look from the one she regarded as her own brother, silenced her and made her lay still while he took a look at her leg. He couldn't do much as none of them had any strips of cloth left to bandage the wound with. What he _could_ do was massage _athelas_ into the wound. Athelas, or _kingsfoil_, was a plant that he had found on one of his and Adaniel's many journeys. They had both taken as much of it as they could, as its healing power was incomparable, and they both tended to keep some of its leaves in their pouches. For this Adaniel was also grateful. Though her wound still hurt terribly at least the throbbing ceased a bit and the pain became bearable.

---

The Fellowship moved on again for a while. Everyone was very silent. Especially the hobbits. They seemed to be grieving the most. Frodo's love for the lost wizard had rubbed off onto Sam, Merry, and Pippin as well, and for a long while none of them said a word. Adaniel wasn't sure exactly how long, as she had been more or less unconscious most of the time.

She was fully awaken at the sound of Gimli, the dwarf, complaining loudly about the Elven Lady of Light (or witch, as he called her), Galadriel, and her ways of bewitching people. She would not get _him_ under her spell, though, because he had the eyes of a hawk and the ears of a fox! Or so he claimed.

"Where are we?" Adaniel asked Legolas, whose turn it was to carry her.

"Lothlorien." He replied not sounding short of breath though walking and carrying her at the same time. "And our dwarf companion is complaining over elves!" The last part he said with a smile on his face, but Adaniel didn't see this as her eyes were still closed. She only recognized the kindness in his voice.

Suddenly someone not of the Fellowship spoke up.

"The dwarf breathes so loud that we could've shot him in the dark!" An unfamiliar, male voice said, and as Adaniel opened her eyes to take a better look, she saw bows with arrows pointing right towards her and her friends. The people holding them were elves. They had long, fair hair just like Legolas', and their ears were pointed. Apart from that and their garments they looked very much alike men.

Adaniel had seen one of them, Haldir, the march warden, before, and she feared he wouldn't let them into Lothlorien. Strangers were not welcome there.

She went unconscious again for a while, and as she woke up she was lying on the soft forest humus. This time she had Aragorn's coat under her head, and Sam was sitting next to her.

"What's going on?" She asked, and the hobbit replied.

"Strider and Legolas are discussing with the elves. I don't understand anything they're saying, except they won't let us into the woods."

Adaniel tried to listen. She didn't know half the amount of Elfish that Aragorn did, but she _was_ able to make out a few words or sentences now and again. She had, after all, lived with Elves until she was almost three years old. Some words she still remembered, but she didn't know how to speak their language.

She heard Aragorn reason for why they should be let into Lothlorien. He told Haldir of the ring and of their quest. He wouldn't have told anyone else, Adaniel knew, but elves could be trusted – even if they were not too friendly or trusting themselves.

The elves seemed to know about the ring already, and it did not impress Haldir. Then Adaniel heard herself referred to as "the woman of the Fellowship" by Aragorn, but she couldn't make out the rest. A few minutes later Haldir came to take a look at her leg.

"We will aid you…" He said in Westron, the Common Speech. "But you will all have to be blindfolded. No stranger is led to Caras Galadon without a blindfold!"

Adaniel remembered Caras Galadon as the Elves' great realm in the midst of the woods, though she had never seen it before. Aragorn had told her about it, and she felt the relief rush to all parts of her body when she heard that they would be led there. With the care of Elves she would be standing and walking again soon, though not soon enough to continue her journey with the Fellowship. But as long as they got to go on, she was content.

---

Apart from the hurting leg Adaniel had quite a comfortable journey through the woods. The elves had made a raft of branches and leaves on which they carried her. She could not see anything, of course, as she was blindfolded just as the rest of her friends.

When they came to Caras Galadon, however, the blindfolds were taken off of them, and it was quite a sight that met them.

The Elves lived in the trees, and they had made beautiful flets in them. The trees they lived in were really tall and big – bigger than any tree Adaniel had ever seen before – and as they were taken to the lord and lady, Celeborn and Galadriel, she felt a little sorry for the elves carrying her. It was a long way up the stairs, and though she was rather short and tiny for a woman her age, she weighed enough for anyone to grow tired of carrying her up so many stairs. But not the Elves, it seemed. They had a great strength and did not grow weary as soon as Men did. Adaniel knew this, but she couldn't help but feeling a little amazed all the same.

The Elven lord and lady appeared before them in rays of light. In fact, it seemed as if the light came from the two majestic Elves themselves. Lady Galadriel was very beautiful, and Adaniel knew in an instant why she was able to put people under her spell. It was not malice. It was beauty and knowledge greater than anyone's. Even Gandalf's.

While Celeborn spoke, Adaniel was sure that she heard Galadriel's voice inside her head.

"Welcome, Princess of Men!" It said and filled Adaniel with wonder. "Your journey will not yet be over, though you cannot follow the Fellowship."

Adaniel hadn't heard what Celeborn said as she kept wondering where the voice came from, but suddenly, it seemed, a couple of Elves came to take a look at her leg and give her some of their medicine. Though Elven medicine was among the best, a wound still took time to heal. Adaniel's leg felt better rather quickly, but it would take long before she could walk again. But at least she was safe for now and the Fellowship would have time to regain their strength and powers.

That night Adaniel heard the Elves grieve over the loss of Gandalf. Though she had been offered a bed she had chosen to stay with her friends on the ground. They were supposed to sleep underneath the trees, but none of them could find any rest.

Aragorn and Legolas, who both understood the Elves' sad songs, had more peace of mind than the rest.

Sam was the one to suggest they talked about all the good things Gandalf had done instead of being silently lost in their own sad thoughts.

It _did_ cheer them all up a bit – especially when Sam talked about Gandalf's fire works and the joy they had caused – and finally, after hours of restlessness, Adaniel fell asleep with only a light throbbing to be felt in her leg.

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A/N: Yeah, I know. Another story with an addition to the Fellowship. But I won't tell the story of the Fellowship all over again, just with a female addition, I promise.


	2. Goodbye Fellowship

A/N: Repost. Thanks for the reviews. 

**Chelsey-pudge**: Thanks for telling me. To be honest, I started out with spelling it 'Elvish'. Then I was told it was with an 'f' and started spelling it that way instead. But I agree with you. In LotR stories it's much better with a 'v'. So, from now on, I'll probably just spell it the way I feel like, which is the way you also suggested. Thanks!

**Dawnie-7**: Man, I love you! I've been gone for months, and as soon as I post one tiny little thing on this site, you're back reading and reviewing. Can't thank you enough! But...I _can_ tell you that I haven't abandoned the Love Actually fic. It's still my personal favourite, and I shall finish it. I have a week off from work now, and if everything goes the way I want it to, I'll have chapter 7 up tomorrow. Anyway, just wanted to say thanx!

- Miss Sofie

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**Chapter II – Goodbye Fellowship**

It was still dark when Adaniel woke up. Though the branches of the trees around them were thick and covered in leaves, she could still make out a few stars far above them, whenever the wind made the tree tops move aside for a few seconds.

The elves were silent now. They were probably asleep as were her companions. She took a quick look around to make sure they hadn't left her. They hadn't. Except…Frodo was nowhere to be seen.

It made her feel a little uncomfortable. She knew that he felt the presence of the ring stronger than the others as he was the one to carry it, and though he was a good fellow with a strong will, she feared that it would deceive him sooner or later.

"Sam!" She whispered to the hobbit lying next to her. Dear Sam! He was always protecting everyone the best he could. Tonight he stayed with her, as she was hurt. The hobbit, however, was sound asleep and did not hear Adaniel.

"Sam!" She whispered again shaking his shoulder gently. She smiled as he still didn't react. What a great protection he was! Too tired to be woken even when shaken!

Adaniel tried to get up to go wake up Aragorn instead. She had not the heart to wake Sam when he obviously needed sleep so much.

She didn't get far, though, as her wounded leg began throbbing as soon as she tried to move. She clenched her teeth and closed her eyes as the pain felt like knives through her leg.

"Don't get up!" A voice said and made her open her eyes again. It was Haldir. He was holding a bow in his hand, but the arrows were still in his quiver. "Whatever reason you have to get up, let me go instead. Trying to walk will only make your leg worse."

"Frodo! Where is he? The ring…"

"Frodo's alright, and so is the ring. He's safe with the Lady of Light. He'll be back soon."

"Oh." Adaniel said relieved, though she didn't sound it. "What are you doing here?" She then asked looking at the bow in Haldir's hand.

"Keeping watch." The elf replied and walked a little away from her. Of course. They were elves. Not even at night did they slacken the security of their people or their guests.

Adaniel took his walking away as a sign for her to stop talking. She'd better try to get some more sleep anyway, she thought, though her leg hurt an awful lot.

"Únawen is on her way with something to ease your pain." Adaniel heard Haldir say quietly, right when she had closed her eyes. She opened them again and was surprised to see that he was not at all as close to her as he had sounded. Was it a way only elves knew how to speak, or had she just heard him inside her head? No, only Galadriel had that gift, she was sure. He had just moved away as quickly as she had opened her eyes. She knew from the elves of Rivendell, and now from Legolas, that elves could move with great speed and not be heard. It probably wasn't any different for Haldir.

---

The next day came with less pain and more cheerfulness to Adaniel and the rest of the Fellowship. She was the last one to wake up – no one had wanted to wake her – and Sam was by her side.

"Good morning." He said and handed her a mug with water. "Water from the River Nimrodel. It'll do you good."

"Thanks, Sam." Adaniel said and drank greedily. It _was_ good. Everything the elves had or did was good she thought and felt almost happy for a while. Then she thought of Gandalf and her mind darkened. How were they supposed to succeed without him?

"Do not dwell on unhappy memories." A soft Elven voice said and made both Adaniel and Sam look up.

"The Lady of Light!" Sam muttered and made the fair lady in front of them smile kindly.

"Your presence is wanted elsewhere, Samwise Gamgee." She continued. "And yours, Adaniel, if you will allow our carriers to carry you up yet another tree."

Of course Adaniel would allow them to carry her. She just felt that she was a big burden to them.

"Do not think so low of yourself, Princess Adaniel." Galadriel told her without speaking. "You are as valuable as anyone of the Fellowship!"

Why do you call me Princess? Adaniel thought believing that Galadriel would hear her. The latter just laughed her kind laughter and left the two of them to be taken to a council by the elves who came to carry Adaniel.

Adaniel mostly listened as her friends counseled with the elves. Celeborn was a wise king, and in his wife he had an even wiser companion. Together they were the perfect rulers, and their advice seemed to be trustworthy.

They told Aragorn to take the Fellowship down the Nimrodel, once they were rested and their stomachs filled to last a while. The man, who had earned Adaniel's admiration more than anyone, agreed to this and thanked the elves for their kindness. Then he changed into the Elfish language, which he thought that only the elves knew. Adaniel, however, did understand that he was asking about her. He did not want to leave her behind if she was not taken care of.

"Fear not for your sister, Elessar." Galadriel said in Westron, which they all understood. "She will be taken good care of, and she will join you again. Not soon, but in time."

Aragorn did not question Galadriel's statement and was satisfied.

---

Days passed by and the Fellowship grew stronger as the memory of Gandalf was driven a little away by the elves' merrymaking at night. Adaniel knew that the hobbits, especially Sam, dreaded the day they would have to move on. He loved the elves already, and he often confided this to her. He also missed the Shire, and the thought of traveling even further away from his beloved home brought him down. Adaniel wished he could stay with her and maybe go home soon, but she knew that Frodo needed Sam more than Sam needed his home, and so she urged him to look forward to their journey. He would get to see the world, she told him. She would only see Lothlorien and Mirkwood.

"But I'm a hobbit, Adaniel!" He complained one day when they were talking underneath the tree by which they often sat. "I was made for cultivating my garden, not for going on adventures!"

"I'm sure, Sam, that you were made for a lot more than that. What a waste of good hobbit it'd be to leave you at home." Adaniel replied with a fond smile at the halfling, whose company she had come to appreciate very much during her illness.

Sam nudged her side and looked a little less unhappy. "'s easy for you to say!"

"Sam! Adaniel!" Legolas' voice interrupted their conversation. "It's time."

"Time?" Sam asked with blank eyes. "To go?"

"Yes. The boats are ready, and the Lady of Light wishes to say farewell." The young elf said.

"Could you…" Adaniel said and looked annoyed at her leg.

"Of course." Legolas said and lifted her up as if she was light as a feather. Though the wound had stopped hurting, she still couldn't walk. It'd begin throbbing whenever she tried to lean on it, and for now she had accepted the fact that she had to be carried whenever she wanted to go anywhere. She feared tomorrow. She wasn't sure if the elves would be as patient with her as her friends had been, and she was afraid she'd be left to lying in her bed a lot. A nice and comfortable bed, no doubt, but the chamber they had provided her with was so far from everything else. She knew it was because she needed silence to rest, but she feared she'd be left alone a whole lot.

"Adaniel, my friend!" Aragorn said and hugged her awkwardly. Awkwardly, because she was sitting and he was standing. Apart from that they were never awkward towards each other. They had known each other since the day Adaniel was born and spent most of their time together since then. There was no one in Middle Earth that Adaniel knew better than Aragorn, and there was only one as dear to her as him, though not dearer. She had never thought of Aragorn as more than a friend. Not even once. Not even when they had been together for months without any other companion. He was too much like a brother to her, though much older than herself.

"Promise me you'll take care of the hobbits!" She said as she hugged him back. "They need the care more than Gimli, and Legolas do, and my dear Boromir."

"I will." Aragorn promised and let go of the embrace.

"And promise me you'll send word of your state of health once in a while. I won't recover if I don't know you're safe."

"Among elves you'll recover much sooner than you expect." Aragorn replied with a kind smile.

"Promise me!" Adaniel entreated.

"I'll promise you." Aragorn finally said. "If you'll promise me to spend your time here productively. If you'll only listen to the elves you'll learn more from them than you ever thought possible!"

"You sound like my brother!" Adaniel said pushing Aragorn away playfully.

"But only because I feel like it!" The latter replied and moved away a little further.

With a look at Haldir, who was present like the rest of the elves, and then another look back at Adaniel, Aragorn raised his voice in joy and smiled at the small woman sitting on a tree stub with a wounded leg.

"Take good care of my friend, Haldir, here!" He practically shouted and nudged the elf's stomach. Adaniel knew he was not only teasing her. He was also telling Haldir to take care of her, though not speaking the words.

The elf nodded silently at Aragorn, though looking a little displeased. Aragorn just put a hand on his shoulder and bid him farewell.

"I shall miss you very much!" Boromir said taking Adaniel's hands in his. He was squatting next to her, looking into her green eyes with pain in his own. "But I shall also feel relieved, as I know you'll be safe. I never should've allowed you to come with us in the first place."

"You know you couldn't have made me stay behind anyway." Adaniel said and returned Boromir's look. "I would follow you to the end of the world!"

Boromir sighed and kissed her hands. "I know. And someday, when peace has come to these lands, I shall take you on a longer journey and show you the White City."

"And I'll be looking forward to it. Now go, and make sure to keep an eye on Frodo. My heart bleeds for the pour ring bearer!"

"I shall. And I'll come back for you. It may take long, but I _will_ be back!"

With that Boromir kissed Adaniel passionately, while the rest of the company turned their eyes away in politeness. She returned the kiss and held her tears back until she had let go of him.

A few moments later the boats with the Fellowship (now reduced by two) sailed peacefully down the calm River Nimrodel.

The next time Adaniel would meet them, one of the two men would have left Middle Earth, never to return.

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A/N: Hope you liked it. Shall post chapter three soon. It's already written and ready to be uploaded, but I'm on my way to a birthday, so I don't have the time for uploading. But please let me know what you think by reviewing. Thanx!


	3. By the Fire

A/N: Thanks for reviewing. This is a short chapter, and you may not find any reason for meto put it up.To that I can only say that apart from being a filler chapter, itwill prove necessary later on.

**Dawnie-7:** I lost my notes. I freaking lost my notes for chapter 7 of Right Here!!! I can't believe I did so, but I'll be searching all day to find them again. Can't continue without them, since I have it all written down and ready to beelaborated on. I could shoot myself right now, but that won't bring me chapter 7, right? Anyway, enjoy this, too!

**Chelsey-pudge:** Thanks for reviewing again.I hope you'll continue liking this story. Chapter four will be up later today or tomorrow.

- Miss Sofie

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**III – By the Fire**

The Fellowship left in the morning.

An elf, whom Adaniel didn't recognize, carried her back to the flet in the trees which would be hers as long as she stayed in Lothlorien. He was kind, but not very talkative, and he left her again as soon as she was back to her bed. She knew she could always call for someone if she needed anything, but as she didn't want to trouble her hosts more than what was necessary, she didn't call for them. She was bored and she couldn't sleep, and she soon wished she was back with her friends and Boromir.

Once in a while a healer would come to ask if she was okay and take a look at her wound. She would also ask if there was anything she needed or wanted. Adaniel had no doubts that she could ask anything she wanted of them, but she didn't want to. After a couple of visits from the healer, though, she asked to come out a little. While her friends had been there she had hardly ever stayed inside, and she didn't feel like it now, either.

"I'll tell someone to come help you down." The healer replied and left with the dressings she had taken off of Adaniel's wound. She had dressed her wound with new, clean pieces of some fabric that Adaniel did not know. It was very soft and strong, and it felt cool and nice on her constantly warm leg.

A few minutes later Adaniel heard someone come up the stairs to her flet, asking for permission to come in. It was Haldir.

"You wanted to come down?" He asked before lifting her.

"Yes, please." She replied and sat up in the bed.

Haldir put his arms under the small girl and lifted her as if she was light as a feather, just like Legolas had done.

"Where to?" He asked descending the stairs, carefully avoiding touching her leg with his arm as he carried her.

"Just to some place where I won't be alone." Adaniel asked regretting at once. She hadn't meant to sound as if they didn't take good enough care of her or anything. She hadn't meant to sound rude.

Haldir gave a little laugh instead of looking offended.

"We'll be having a feast tonight. I'll put you down by the fire, if that's okay. Everyone will be there before long."

"Thanks." Adaniel said and removed her arm from around his neck when he placed her on a stump of tree.

The place was already filling with elves preparing for the feast, and she felt hungry as the scent of the elves' cooking began to fill the air around her.

Haldir gave a quick nod before he vanished among the other elves.

---

The feast didn't bore Adaniel, but she couldn't quite participate. The elves sang and danced and she could do neither. Well, yes, she could sing, but not in their tongue. She had learned a few words since she came to Lothlorien, but still she only understood little of all they were saying and singing. She watched from her place by the fire, how they all drank wine and grew merrier hour by hour, and once in a while someone would remember her and come to talk to her for a while. Most often they would leave her again soon, as they loved to sing and dance. When they did, she wished more than ever, that Boromir or Aragorn had been with her. But she knew that she was being selfish. The Ring had to be taken to Mordor, and if anyone could do that, it was Aragorn and Boromir.

While thinking about her friends, she noticed an elf who didn't seem to be enjoying himself. Haldir was sitting at the other side of the fire talking to a couple of other elves. Adaniel noticed that they neither drank nor danced, but they didn't look bored either. Neither did Haldir. Adaniel just wondered why they didn't participate in the merrymaking.

As if he had heard her thoughts Haldir turned his face to the fire and looked straight at her through the flames. Then he got up and left her sight.

A few moments later someone sat down beside her. She turned her face to look at the elf, and she wasn't surprised to see Haldir next to her.

"I promised Aragorn I would take care of you." He said looking at the fire. "Now tell me what's troubling you."

"Apart from my leg…nothing, I guess." Adaniel replied wondering whether she should tell him that she didn't feel at home here.

"I'll make sure you'll get out a little more." Haldir said with a quick glance at Adaniel. "Would that help?"

"Thanks." She said and smiled at him, though she had a feeling she'd be of great trouble to him. Then she changed the subject.

"Why aren't you and your friends drinking and dancing with the others?" She asked with a look at the young elf.

"Someone has to keep a sharp eye." He replied. "Even during a feast. One never knows what hides in the woods nowadays."

"Oh. Of course." Adaniel said and was silent for a while.

"Tell me…" Haldir then asked a little cautiously. "What did a woman like yourself do in the Fellowship? I mean, I'm sure Gandalf and Elrond chose wisely when picking the companions, but…"

"Are you hinting that I'm not good enough?" Adaniel asked not really angry though the elf seemed to think she was offended. "I guess I'm not. I shouldn't have let that orc surprise me."

"That can happen to anyone. And I wasn't hinting that you're not good enough!" Haldir replied with a small and curious smile. "Are you not?"

"I am. When I'm not injured. I've traveled and fought with Aragorn for years now, and I'm as good with a sword as any of your warriors."

"As elf warriors? No offence, but you do look a little small for sword fighting!"

"I may be small, but I'm quite strong! Well, usually I'm strong. And I shall be again. And what about the hobbits? They're small too, but no one's questioning their belonging to the Fellowship!"

"But hobbits have a very strong willpower and they are tough little fellows."

"Are you saying that I'm weak?"

"I did not mean it that way. But I guess I do think your people have a weak mind. Except for Aragorn, of course."

"I'll just have to prove you wrong, then!" Adaniel said with a cheerful smile at the tall, fair-haired elf. Maybe she ought to feel offended, but at least someone took the time to sit down and talk with her.

Haldir gave a little laugh and got up.

"I'll be looking forward to that." He said and turned away from her. He turned back to face her again, though. "May I ask just one more question?"

"Of course." Adaniel said puzzled. Why did he ask permission to ask questions?

"How old are you?"

She hesitated before answering. She knew he wouldn't believe her.

"I'm 39." She said seriously, not failing to notice his eyes widen in disbelief.

"I see." He replied just as seriously, and with that he vanished among the other elves. She didn't see him again that night.

Adaniel had made it a habit not to tell people how old she was. They never believed her anyway, so for the past few years she had just said she was 20 whenever someone asked. Most people believed that, though a few said she looked younger. The elf, however, she had not wanted to lie to, which had only caused him to think she was. Lying, that is. It had shown so obvious on his face, and he had turned his back on her and disappeared.

She didn't want to worry about it, though. It was his choice to believe her or not, and if he wanted to, he could ask Aragorn when they met again. If they'd ever meet again. Aragorn knew the truth. He had been there from the day she was born.

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A/N: Short, I know. I've kinda decided to write shorter chapters and a longer story. I often find myself bored when I read long chapters, so I hope short chapters will do a better job of keeping people not-bored! Ya, I like inventingwords!


	4. Bow and Arrow

A/N: Not gonna say much to this chapter. Just read and enjoy!

- Miss Sofie

Oh, yeah...and for the chapter title... I know it sucks. I'm really lousy at coming up with good chapter titles. Go ahead and sue me! ;)

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**Chapter IV – Bow and Arrow**

A few days passed and Adaniel felt more and more restless. Her leg healed quickly, but there was still some way to go, before she could walk properly. Running or climbing trees was out of the question, and not being able to do anything was not was she was used to. She was used to being outside walking or riding all day long, with or without Aragorn by her side. Lying in her bed was driving her mad, and on top of it all, she missed Boromir and Aragorn so terribly.

And the hobbits. She had grown very fond of _them_ too, from the day they had arrived at the Prancing Pony in Bree. They had traveled to Rivendell together, where she had met Boromir. He had been the first ever to believe her age and her story, apart from Aragorn, of course. The truth was that she had lived among elves for the first three years of her life, which was the reason why she had an Elvish name. She had never known her parents, but Aragorn had been there, both like a father and a brother to her. He never scolded her like a father would've done, and neither did he get annoyed with her or play tricks on her like a brother would've done. He was just there to teach her what her father should've taught her, and a little more than that.

When Adaniel was born, Aragorn was already a grown man. She had often wondered why he didn't grow old and gray-haired, when she was younger, but that was only until Gandalf told her about his forefathers. It turned out that Aragorn was one of the Dúnedain, the Men of Westernesse, who grew old very slowly. It also meant that he could've been King, if it wasn't for darker powers trying to overtake Middle Earth thousands of yeas ago.

Adaniel had had a hard time understanding all of this, and as Aragorn never told her anything about it, she just left it at that.

In Rivendell, when Adaniel met Boromir, her heart longed to be with him from the very moment she set eyes on him. The feeling was mutual, but Aragorn came between the lovers. Not because he wanted Adaniel to be unhappy, but because he wanted to protect her. At first he didn't trust Boromir to be able to take care of her, but he soon learned to trust him with his own life as well as hers.

After a few days Boromir had come to Adaniel to ask for her hand in marriage. Though everything had happened very quickly, she had accepted at once and made Boromir very happy. They were to get married once they returned from their journey. A journey, which Adaniel had now been prevented from going on.

She sighed as she heard someone call her name. It hadn't been loud, but loud enough for her to be taken back to the present.

"Yes?" She answered and got to her feet. She had been lying on her bed again, looking up through the canopies, dreaming away.

"I've come to take you to the ground. Galadriel was afraid you were withering away." It was Haldir. Adaniel was surprised to hear a man use such terms, but then again…he _was_ an elf!

"They were _her_ words, not mine!" The elf added as if reading Adaniel's thoughts. "Can you walk?"

"A little." Adaniel answered and took a few steps towards the rope ladder. "Where are we going?"

"I thought I'd teach you a little archery." Haldir replied with something that could be mistaken for a small smile. "Aragorn told me you could need that!"

"He did?!" Adaniel exclaimed, pretending to be offended. "But he only just began teaching me!"

"Well, I guess I'll be finishing what he started, then." Haldir replied and offered Adaniel his hand climbing down the ladder. "That is…if we'll have time before the company returns!"

"Are you saying that I won't learn fast enough?"

"Those were your words, not mine. But…"

"But what?" Adaniel let Haldir support her as she took the last step down from the rope ladder. Her leg had begun to throb again, but she didn't let it show.

"You're a woman. Had you been an elleth, I wouldn't have doubted a second that I could teach you archery, but…"

"Are you serious?" Adaniel interrupted, not really believing him to be so. As Haldir didn't reply, she figured that he _was_ being serious. She let go of the hand that was supporting her and tried not to limp. She walked off rather furiously. "Just because I'm a woman it doesn't mean I'm stupid!"

Haldir was by her side in no time, catching her arm to support her again. "Don't go spoiling your leg just because you're mad at me! That's exactly what makes you different from all the elleths out there." He said and gave a wave with his arm as to point out of whom he was talking. "None of them would ever do anything so stupid!"

"And no real man would ever speak to a woman like that!" Adaniel hissed, though slowing down and letting Haldir support her.

"I'm sorry, but I'm not so good with words." The latter replied with no sign of regret showing on his face. He then made Adaniel sit down by the fireplace, though there was no fire at this time of the day. "Wait here while I find a bow and quiver for you!"

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Learning how to use a bow and arrows actually gave Adaniel a lot of fun. For the first time in her life someone else than Aragorn was teaching her, and it led to a lot of misunderstandings. Fortunately, Haldir was patient, or at least pretending to be. He didn't seem to have as much fun as she did, but he never raised his voice either. He was so different from Aragorn. The latter would often raise his voice when trying to teach Adaniel something, though she had never heard him shout at others out of irritation.

Haldir had taken Adaniel to the edge of the Elves city to make it easier for her to concentrate. Usually she had no problems concentrating, but as Boromir kept popping up in her head, it made her aiming a lot worse than it had to be.

"A little more to the left." She heard Haldir's voice as she let go of the arrow, which shot past the tree many inches too far to the right.

"Don't distract me when I'm about to shoot!" Adaniel said and shot Haldir an annoyed look.

"I didn't do anything to distract you." The march warden said, not able to hide the annoyance of being falsely accused.

"As if telling me to shoot 'a little more to the left' isn't distracting!" Adaniel said and took out another arrow from the quiver on her back.

Haldir looked confused for a few seconds, but he didn't say anything. The next arrow hit the tree, but not the black spot.

"You should rest your leg for a while." Haldir suddenly said and took a few steps away from his student. "We'll continue tomorrow."

Adaniel looked at him just as confused as he had looked at her a moment ago, though not for the same reasons. As he called for one of the other elves, Feritol was his name, to come help Adaniel back to her flet, she couldn't help feeling left behind. She had no idea what she had said to upset him, but he certainly wasn't too pleased with her like all of a sudden.

"What's with him?" She asked Feritol, who offered to carry her back. She accepted.

"That's just Haldir. He's got his bad days as well as the rest of us. Maybe even a little more often. But once you've got his friendship, he won't let you down as long as he lives!"

"But Elves live forever!"

"Exactly!" Feritol smiled, and Adaniel realized he was trying to be funny.

"You know, that's the first time I hear an elf tell a joke!" She said and smiled back at him.

"Well, but though I _was_ trying to make you smile, I still meant every word I said. Make friends with Haldir, and he'll protect you with his life."

"I'll remember that." Adaniel replied and couldn't help thinking of Aragorn and Boromir. They would too, she knew, and she missed them both an awful lot. For a moment she wondered where they might be right now, but then Feritol began talking again, and his voice made all gloominess disappear.

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A/N: **Dawnie-7:** Yes, I lost my notes, and I haven't found them yet. But I _am_ writing, so, hopefully, the chapter will be up tomorrow. Oh, and thanks for the review!


	5. Sudden Death

A/N: Finally, I'm back! It took me quite a while, and I understand if you're not with me anymore, but I have a feeling that I'll be better at updating frequently from now on. I can't promise anything, except for trying.

Anyway, **Dawn**, I know you'll still be with me, and thank you for being so. And thanks for your latest review. And about that weird look from Haldir...it'll be explained later on in the story, though not directly!

And **Chelseypudge**, I can only say thank you and that I hope you're still here. I have _not_ abandoned the story, though it may seem like it.

Okay, so this is chapter five. It's excitement level sin't to high, but I think it's quite an important chapter.

Enjoy!

Miss Sofie

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**Chapter V – Sudden Death**

Adaniel's leg kept getting better along with her achery skills. She practised with Haldir almost every day, when he was not patrolling the borders of the Elves' land.

One day, when her leg was so well that she could walk without any pain (as long as she restrained from running and climbing trees) she and Haldir left their regular training ground to go search for a deer.

They were both in great moods – Adaniel because Haldir would finally let her hunt, and Haldir because he was beginning to feel confined in the village. This he told Adaniel, and she agreed with him. She, too, was used to roaming about the woods and grass lands, though not alone like Haldir.

They were prowling about the undergrowth, and though Haldir didn't say anything, Adaniel could tell from the look on his face that he was impressed to see a woman being so silent.

She suddenly felt a hand on her shoulder and turned her head to look at Haldir. He wasn't looking back at her, though, as something had caught his attention.

Adaniel looked in the same direction as the Elf and saw a roe deer standing still in front of her. It was looking straight at the two hunters, protecting its fawn with its own body.

"Don't move!" Haldir's whisper sounded right into Adaniel's ear. "Isn't she beautiful?"

Adaniel nodded, afraid to scare the deer if she spoke.

"Why are you nodding?" Haldir asked, still whispering.

Adaniel turned her face to look at him, and he removed his hand from her shoulder.

"Because I agree with you." She whispered back.

The elf looked at her with a frown and no smile on his face. He was about to say something, when Adaniel turned back.

"Oh, look. They're leaving. I think your smile scared them!" She said and turned back to look at Haldir again. Her eyes revealed the smile that she was trying to hide from him.

"Or maybe your human body did!" He replied in a voice that was much sterner than the expression on his face.

"I'd wish Boromir was here!" Adaniel exclaimed with a sigh. Haldir's mentioning of the human body had made her think of her beloved man, though she had not yet seen his body without several layers of clothes. She longed for the day that he would be hers, and once again she regretted that she could not continue the journey with him.

"Well, but he's not, and you'll just have to live with it!" Haldir replied. Adaniel couldn't tell wether he was being serious or trying to tease her, so she chose to believe the latter.

"Like you're living without the love of _your_ life!" She gave back and wondered why he was not yet married. Surely some elleth would have fallen for him through the years. He was not at all ugly, this proud elf, and he wasn't always as cold as he could seem.

Haldir's face turned motionless in an instant, and Adaniel regretted prying into stuff that he obviously didn't want to discuss.

"No, not like that." Haldir replied and began walking back the track they had followed from the village. "It was a choice I made long ago. Love may make women and elleths stronger, but that's not the case with men and elves. What kind of march warden would risk his people because his thoughts're full of an elleth!"

With these words he walked off, leaving Adaniel to find her own way back. Though she was tired and her leg needed rest, she didn't want to call on him. She was both embarrassed and annoyed because of her question and Haldir's answer, and so she kept silent. It wasn't a long way back anyway.

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Adaniel heard voices before her and slowed down to listen. She was sure one of the voices was Haldir's, and the other one belonged to an elleth. She didn't understand the words though, as they were speaking their own language.

At the mentioning of her own name, she sneaked closer to see who Haldir was talking to and maybe be able to hear what about.

The two elves (Adaniel could now see the other one was Galadriel) stopped talking immediately, but Adaniel heard the voice of the Lady inside her heard.

"Do not fear to let yourself be seen, Princess," it said. "We've known about your presence for a while now, and we need to talk to you."

"About what?" Adaniel asked and stepped out into the clearing. Haldir looked at her with sorrow in his eyes, and the Lady of Light did not smile either.

"What's wrong?" Adaniel exclaimed, suddenly fearing the worst. "Has anything happened to the Fellowship? Has the Ring passed to… No, do not let it be so!"

Adaniel had begun walking round in circles while almost shouting at Galadriel. Haldir took her by the arm to stop her, and as he did so, Adaniel saw the sorrow in his eyes more clearly than before.

"Tell me what it is!" She yelled and yanked her arm out of Haldir's grip.

"The Ring is safe with Frodo!" Galadriel said and tried to calm down Adaniel by speaking softly and warmly. It helped, and Adaniel stood still.

"Then, if it's not Frodo or the Ring, who is it?" She asked, tears leaving her eyes. No matter who was injured among her friends or…or maybe even dead among them, she would want to be there to mourn over him. She would want to comfort the others and be comforted by them. By Boromir. Her dear Boromir.

"Adaniel, bird messengers have brought word from the Fellowship." Galadriel began. "They fought Saruman's orcs, and your Boromir saved Frodo and the Ring."

Tears now streamed down the small woman's cheeks.

"Tell me it's not…" She tried, but her throat contracted and she could say no more.

"I'm sorry, Princess. He died protecting the Fellowship and the Ring. He died protecting all good things in this world. He died to protect you!"

"Nooo!" Adaniel screamed and threw herself onto the ground. "No! It cannot be true!"

Haldir tried to help her up, but she didn't notice. If she had, she wouldn't have cared, either.

For a long while Adaniel lay on the ground, her body wincing with a mental pain that had also grown physical. Once in a while, when she was almost conscious, she felt a comforting hand on her shoulder. In the end, though, she was lifted up by Haldir and carried back to the Elven village. There every single Elf, from the smallest one who couldn't even walk yet, to the oldest one, who was about to leave for Gray Havens, was waiting for her to express their silent sympathy and mourn with her.

She thought it was only a dream, when the crowd of whiteclad, almost glowing, beautiful people parted to let their march warden carry her through. Their faces were all filled with sorrow, and Adaniel closed her eyes to fight the image that she thought and hoped was only a bad dream.

She was put to bed by one of the healers, Únawen was her name, but she was unable to sleep properly. She twisted and turned in the bed, and her temperature rose. In the morning, when Lady Galadriel came to see her, her bed was wet from sweat, tears, and blood. The wound on her leg had sprung open during the night, and a lot of blood had left her body.

Adaniel didn't care. All she cared about was dying.

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A/N: Ooooh...! Is she going to die? Is she? Read on and find out!


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